Having been moved to act against the mighty Lyeios (or Lyaeus), a most feared gladiator who mocked and tormented the Christians in the arena, Nestor went to see the imprisoned St. Demetrius and asked for his blessing to fight and defeat Lyeios. With the blessing of the saint and faith in God, he entered the arena and mortally struck Lyeios.

Maximian, the emperor, was angered by this and ordered that Nestor be slain with his own sword. The year of his death is reported variously as 290, 296, or 306.